Inspector Gadget - Reset 2
by THEEVILDOER
Summary: A year has passed since Dr Claw was defeated by Gadget and now Riverton is in peace. Too much peace for our dear inspector. However, things are about to change as Claw has a new plot to take over the world, and have his revenge. If all that wasn't enough, the tragedy strikes Gadget and nearly takes someone he loves. AU, canon to the other fics, spoilers from the movies.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.- Glitches.**

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(Evil says: Go to this link to make this part as an opening: watch?v=_spGKwntziY)

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_It has been a year since John Brown had had an accident that nearly ended his life. It has been a year since Victor Scolex had suffered an accident that costed him his right arm. It has been a year since John Brown's body was reconstructed using the most advanced high-tech project and became the super cyborg cop known as Inspector Gadget. It has been a year since Victor Scolex had replaced his lost right arm with a robotic prosthesis and took the pseudonym of Doctor Claw. It has been a year since Doctor Claw tried to use his army of evil androids to take over the world. It has been a year since Inspector Gadget was put into service to protect the people of Riverton. It has been a year since Claw and Gadget had fought against each other to decide the fate of the world._  
_And it has been a year since Gadget had defeated Claw and had incarcerated him._  
_Since that event, the crime in Riverton had been on the downlow, because all the criminals were too afraid of Inspector Gadget to even dare to show their faces._  
_However, as the old saying says "There's always calm, before the storm rages on," and as such, things are about to change, which will mean that our dear cyborg cop will have to face the biggest threat that he has ever seen from his most dreadful rival, who is planning to take revenge not only against Gadget, but also against the Bradford siblings. Just to add insult to injury, an old rival of Nathan Bradford is on her way to Riverton, claiming that she has something that will make the Gadget Project completely obsolete. And if all that wasn't bad enough, Penny feels that her uncle is way too overprotective with her, which is leading her to take extreme measures to show her Uncle Gadget that she's not a defenseless little girl anymore._  
_The question here should be, will our dear Inspector Gadget be able to save Riverton, protect his loved ones and show everyone that he's still the best at what he does? Or will the infamous Doctor Claw be finally able to get rid of Gadget and take over the world this time?_

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It was nighttime in the city of Riverton, the recently proclaimed safest city of the world, and right now we see that the famous Inspector Gadget was hiding behind the advertisement of the limits of Riverton.  
Suddenly, Gadget's face showed from the right side of the advertisement. Then it went back behind it, and after a second it popped out from the left side. Again it went back behind the advertisement, and then a laser cut a perfect fitting hole for Gadget's hole in the middle, then Gadget passed his head through the hole and scanned his surroundings.  
- Wowsers, it's quiet! - Gadget said while he narrowed his eyes.  
Gadget's head went back behind the advertisement and then it popped out from the top of it.  
- Too quiet! - Gadget said with narrowed eyes.  
Gadget retracted his head and then he glanced at Brain, who was sitting in the passenger's seat.  
- And when it's this quiet, you know what that means, Brain? - Gadget asked.  
Brain looked at Gadget and tilted his head to one side in confusion. Then Gadget looked at the front with decision.  
- It means that evil's afoot! - Gadget said.  
And then, a loud snoring interrupted Gadget's moment of inspiration. Gadget changed his decided look for a not amused glare, then he glanced at the console of his car and saw the Gadget-Mobile's avatar sleeping. A vein bulged on Gadget's forehead and his left eye twitched in anger.  
- We're on the stakeout, Gadget-Mobile! - Gadget yelled.  
The Gadget-Mobile's face startled, then he glared at Gadget and said:  
- No, you're on the stakeout, I'm on the sleeping! So keep it down, aye?  
- The least you could do is stay alert!  
- Alert? Alert for what?! - Gadget-Mobile replied. - Face it, Inspector G, since we locked up Claw, all the bad guys in Riverton have been too afraid of even stepping into the light.  
- (Sigh) Gadget-Mobile, if there's something I've learned in all my years of crime-fighting, which by the way are longer than yours, is that it's always the most quiet... Right before the criminals strike!  
- Pfft, please, G! You've been a cop for just a year now, and your time fighting crime is longer than mine for just a day!  
- Whatever. - Gadget said with a huff.  
Gadget-Mobile was telling the truth, but Gadget wouldn't accept it.  
He just couldn't believe that only Doctor Claw had the guts to defy him. All the peace was getting under Gadget's skin, and it was driving him crazy, he craved, no, he needed action, even more so than oxygen itself.  
- Darn it! - Gadget said while he hit the Gadget-Mobile's wheel.  
- Hey! Hit something else or I'll send you flying to New York! - Gadget-Mobile warned his owner.  
- Sorry, it's just that I'm starting to think that you're right, Gadget-Mobile.  
- See? I told you, I think that only Doctor Claw has enough guts to face you. The rest of the criminals in Riverton are a bunch of sissies.  
- I'm also starting to think that I miss Claw.  
- Now, calm down Inspector G, at least you wiped out the crime in Riverton. Think of it this way, with you here, the President has declared Riverton as the safest city on earth, a feat that not even Iron Man has achieved. Hell, they're even moving the Federal Reserve to Riverton because of you.  
- Speaking of crime, did you turn off the police radio again?  
- It was driving me crazy! Edwards and Williams were using it to chat again!  
- Gadget-Mobile, how many times have I told you not to turn off the police radio?  
- Sorry, G, I'll turn it on immediately.  
Some static was heard, and then a woman's voice said:  
- Attention all units, there has been a bank robbery at the First Bank of Riverton, the suspects are escaping on a white van with no ID through the 3rd Avenue and are armed. All units respond.  
Gadget smiled and rapidly grabbed the radio.  
- This is Inspector Gadget, I'm on my way to intercept them! - Gadget said decidedly.  
-Negative, Gadget, this is Officer Trenton, I'm en route to chase them, you are way too far to reach them in time. - Replied a man's voice over the radio.  
- Don't worry, I'll get them in time. - Gadget said on the radio with a smirk.  
Gadget let go of the radio and ignited the car's engine.  
- What did you say about there weren't any criminals that dared to show their faces in Riverton since we locked up Claw? - Gadget asked to his car.  
- You just got lucky! - Gadget-Mobile said with a contemptuous huff.  
Gadget chuckled and said:  
- Go go Gadget-Turbine!  
A jet turbine erupted from the Gadget-Mobile's trunk and assembled itself, then it turned on and the car sped off like a bullet towards the 3rd Av.

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_(Meanwhile)_

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Officer Dean Trenton was angry.  
He had told Gadget to stay out of the way and the cyborg had just ignored him.  
However, he was right behind the escaping van, and there were no signs of Gadget.  
Maybe this was his moment, the moment of show everyone that he was just as good of a cop as Gadget, and maybe even better because he was a normal human.  
- There they are! I'm not gonna let Gadget take the credit this time! - Trenton said. - Driver of the white van with no ID, this is Officer Dean Trenton, stop the vehicle immediately or I'll be forced to...  
Trenton could never finish his speech because the passengers of the van started shooting at him with some machine guns. Luckily, Trenton was the third best driver of all Riverton (being the Gadget-Mobile and Inspector Gadget the first and second respectively), so he managed to evade all the shots.  
Once the bullet rain stopped, Trenton smirked decidedly and accelerated, then when he was toe-to-toe with the van, right before the robbers could shoot again, Trenton bumped on the escaping vehicle, making the criminals drop their guns.  
But before Trenton could bump the car again, the driver of the van had decided to return him the favor by bumping on his patrol. And thus, a bumping battle between both vehicles started, and though Trenton was outmatched in weight and horsepower, he compensated those lacks with speed and agility.  
After bumping on each other's vehicle for a few minutes, the driver of the van made a sharp turn on a street, losing Trenton easily.  
The police officer stomped his foot on the brake, stopping his car right before it smashed against a wall, then he hit the wheel and tried to turn on the engine of his patrol as fast as he could.  
- C'mon! Ignite already! - Trenton yelled desperately.  
And just when the motor had decided to function, Trenton heard a very well known siren, he glanced at the rearview and saw a black car with silver trimmings pass like a lighting, following with a scary precision the escaping criminals. Trenton roared and hit the wheel again with all his strength, ironically turning off the motor.  
- Not him! Everyone but him! - Trenton roared in despair.  
Meanwhile on the black car with silver trimmings, Gadget unbuckled his seatbelt and moved to the front of the Gadget-Mobile, then he said:  
- Slow down, Gadget-Mobile! I got it from here!  
The car slowed down from 400 miles per hour to a less drastic 100 miles per hour, letting Gadget see the white van he was looking for clearly. He smirked with decision and yelled:  
- Go go Gadget-Extendo-Legs!  
And though he wanted the GEL's, two coils erupted from his shoes and launched him with twice the force he wanted.  
While his owner was flying towards a building, Gadget-Mobile couldn't help but chuckle a bit and say:  
- There goes those glitches again.  
Gadget cried in despair, and then he smashed against the wall of a building, then he fell to the ground with a hard thud. The glitchy inspector stood up and dusted himself, then he glanced at the van while it passed in front of him, taking a turn on the street in which Gadget was.  
- Damn it! Go go Gadget-Rollerblades!  
And again, Gadget's gadgets malfunctioned and the Gadget-Extendo-Legs activated.  
- Oh for crying out loud! Whatever! - Gadget said while he started running towards the van.  
- Hey, G, need a hand? - Gadget-Mobile asked.  
- Track the van and prevent its escape from the city at all costs!  
- Ok, you got it, Inspector G!  
The black car turned on an alleyway and turned off the siren, then Gadget started running faster to catch up with the criminals.  
Few minutes later, Gadget finally caught up with the van, then he jumped with all his increased cyborg strength and fell on the roof of the vehicle, Gadget smirked and said:  
- Go go Gadget-Electromagnets! Go go Gadget-Sawblade!  
However, a hose appeared from his sleeve and shot a blue substance on the roof, which made it even more slippery than it was already, and instead of the electromagnets in his fingerprints, the Gadget-Phone was activated.  
- What in the name of...?! - Gadget cursed.  
And then, the van's driver stomped his foot on the brake, which propelled Gadget to the pavement in front of the vehicle.  
Gadget fell face-first with a loud thud to the ground again, then he stood up and tried to get the toothpaste out of his coat.  
- You're gonna get my laundry bill once I send you guys to the slammer! - Gadget said.  
- Run him over! - One of the criminals hissed.  
Gadget merely chuckled and said:  
- Oh please, do you guys think that I can't stop you even if you are inside your van?  
The driver didn't reply as he ignited the motor and sped off to run Gadget over. The inspector laughed and made a fake gun with his left hand, then he said:  
- Go go Gadget-Laser!  
Unfortunately for our dearest cyborg, his Gadget-Laser malfunctioned too and a rather impressive cannon formed on Gadget's left arm.  
- What the fu...?! - Gadget managed to say before the cannon shot.  
A greenish round was fired from Gadget's arm towards the white van. The criminals thought that they were done for, but the shot merely scrapped the front left wheel, however it was enough to dent and damage greatly the front of the van, which stopped two feet in front of Gadget. The inspector smiled at his newest accomplished capture, and after he cuffed the six villains, he heard that a patrol had stopped beside the disabled van. Then he saw a fuming man walking towards him. Once he saw him clearly, he noticed that the an was no other than Dean Trenton, the officer that had tried to hold him back after he woke up from the surgery that turned him into Inspector Gadget, and nowadays his self-proclaimed rival.  
Trenton glared daggers at the cyborg, then he tried to push him back, but he couldn't even move Gadget a tad bit.  
- I told you not to mess in this, Gadget! - Trenton hissed.  
- Excuse me but since when an officer has a higher rank than a inspector to give him orders? - Gadget replied.  
- Don't try to play dumb with me, Gadget! You know very well why Chief Quimby assigned you to the Radar Gun Unit! You're supposed to stay away from action until your problem gets solved!  
- Trenton, I think I did everything just fine.  
- If you can call something like that just fine.  
Trenton gestured Gadget to see behind the van he had damaged and he gulped when he saw that his Gadget-Cannon had blew up three cars and damaged two entire stores. Then he met Trenton's furious glare and said:  
- At least I caught the criminals, which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't jumped into action.  
- I could've caught them but you had to mess up where you're not called!  
- Yeah right, we both know that I'm twice the cop you'll ever be, Trenton, I know you're just jealous of me.  
- Jealous?! Why would I be jealous of someone who lost what makes a man a man?  
- You mention that again, and I swear I will not restrain myself, got it?  
- Trenton! Gadget! - An authoritative voice yelled.  
Both cops turned and saluted at their boss, who was smoking a cheap Cuban cigar as always.  
- I told you two a million times to stop acting like children! You're supposed to be fully-grown men! - Quimby said before he gave a big puff to his cigar.  
- Trenton was just expressing his jealousy of my crime-fighting abilities, sir. - Gadget said.  
- What?! In your dreams, can-head! - Trenton replied.  
- Silence! - Quimby barked. - Gadget, you're one of my top officers, but in the name of everything that's good, stay away from real crimes until Bradford and your wife fix your glitches! Trenton, take the criminals to the prison, both of you are dismissed and did a good job.  
Quimby returned to his own car, then he left the scene while the Town Hall workers, the insurance company workers and the firemen arrived to the place where Gadget and Trenton were arguing.  
Then a black car with silver trimmings pulled off in front of Gadget, the cyborg just sighed heavily and walked to his car, he opened the door and got inside, then he put his head on the wheel.  
- Hard day, G? - Gadget-Mobile asked.  
- You can't even imagine how much, Gadget-Mobile. - Gadget let out.  
- Everything will start looking better for you, G, just trust me.  
- I don't know about it, Gadget-Mobile, I feel that everything will just fall apart, and maybe I won't be able to stop it this time.  
The black car merely turned on its engine and drove off, leaving Trenton alone with his thoughts.  
The officer took off his hat and wiped the sweat in his forehead, then he glanced at the sky.  
- Please, I just need one chance to show everyone that Gadget is not as good as everyone thinks he is, if you could just give me one chance. - Trenton said to the sky.  
Trenton put on his hat again, then he got inside his patrol and drove to his home.  
Unknowingly to both officers, and the whole citizens of Riverton, an evil mastermind was planning his most diabolical scheme, and this time there would be no stupid cyborgs that could stop him. In Riverton prison, the man formerly known as Victor Scolex was chuckling evilly while he read an old newspaper that announced the engagement of Doctor Brenda Bradford and Inspector Gadget, his most hated opponent.  
- Soon, Gadget, very soon I'll get my revenge. - Claw said with a hoarse voice. - I'll get you this time, Gadget, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

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_"Hero is not a fearless person, is a person who has fears but can face them and dominate them."_

_THEEVILDOER Industries presents.-_

_**"INSPECTOR GADGET - RESET 2"**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.- Breakout.**

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Again, it was nighttime in Riverton.  
A black car was driving silently to the Bradford Cybernetics Labs. All the few bystanders that were all along the way were waving at the driver of the vehicle, but the latter seemed to ignore the people, not because he was impolite, but because he was so immersed in his own thoughts that he didn't even noticed the persons that waved at him.  
Around fifteen minutes had passed since the famous Inspector Gadget had captured six bank robbers, each and every one of those minutes had passed completely in silence, the Gadget-Mobile knew that the inspector needed some time to make up his mind from the recent events, but he couldn't bare the silence anymore. Finally, the car had had enough of Gadget's attitude, so he stopped all of a sudden and glared at his owner.  
- What's going on with you, G? - Gadget-Mobile asked with an annoyed tone in his voice.  
- Nothing, it's just that I was thinking. - Gadget replied without looking at the glaring avatar on the console of his car.  
- Thinking about what, if I may ask?  
- About everything, the accident, the surgery, Doctor Claw, the Robo-Gadget, Trenton, the Chief, Nathan, Brenda and Penny.  
- What were you thinking?  
- Well, the whole ordeal with the Robo-Gadget and Claw happened because of a single man who was jealous of Gerald Bradford's project, and now I'm thinking that the President made a mistake in labelling Riverton as the safest city of the world; with Claw here, who knows what could happen tomorrow.  
- G, calm down, you're over-thinking things and overreacting at them. Claw is under lock and key in the maximum security cell of the Prison of Riverton, there's just no way he'll break out of there.  
- Everyone thought that Iron Man was a person with a good heart, yet the one under the mask was Tony Stark, I mean, sure he's a good guy but he's too narcissistic and flamboyant.  
- Why are you suddenly so negative, Gadget?  
- I don't know, I've had this weird feeling lately, like if something bad is going to happen.  
- Forget about that, ok? Let's think positively and let's go to the Bradford Labs to get you checked up.  
- Fine, but I'll still be concerned.  
Gadget-Mobile huffed and re-ignited its engine, then he drove the rest of the way to the Bradford Labs.  
Few minutes later, the Gadget-Mobile parked in the underground parking lot of the labs, then Gadget opened the door of his car and got out of it, receiving a scrutinising glare from the Gadget-Mobile, as he had gotten out of the car with the same pondering look in his face and his hand in his chin.  
- When are you gonna stop thinking negatively, G? - The Gadget-Mobile wondered aloud.  
Even though the Gadget-Mobile did nothing to lower his voice, his comment passed unbeknownst to the cyborg.  
Gadget walked through the corridors of the labs where he had received several unfruitful treatments to try to cure the glitches that had started four days after the fight with Doctor Claw.  
"Why do I have this feeling? What does it even means? Maybe Gadget-Mobile's right, maybe I'm just overreacting and over-thinking things." Gadget wondered while he kept walking.  
Few moments later, Gadget entered into the main lab of the research complex, and there he saw a red haired scientist who wore a blue shirt under his lab coat. The scientist glanced in his direction and smiled at him, to them shake his hand.  
- How's everything been going, Gadget? - Nathan Bradford asked while he smiled.  
- Bad, just plain bad. - Gadget replied. - I'm still having gadgets with my glitches... I mean glidgets with my gatches... I'm all messed up!  
- Darn it, I was really hoping to hear good news.  
- Well, the good news is that even with my glitches, I managed to catch a bunch of bank robbers, the bad news is that every time that I try to activate the Gadget-Laser, the Gadget-Cannon will activate instead.  
- Damn, it looks like Brenda was right, your glitches are just getting worse, but the problem is that I don't see how that could be happening.  
- Just watch this. Go go Gadget-Toothbrush.  
And, to Nathan's misfortune, some sort of cannon popped out of Gadget's hat, then it shot a sticky pinkish, gum-like substance at the scientist's chest.  
- See? The Gadget-Bubblegum. - Gadget let out.  
- I now see what the problem is, come here. - Nathan said.  
Gadget walked over to Nathan and the latter said:  
- Take off your shirt, coat and the skin panels of your chest, and lay on the examination table, I need to check your interface chips.  
Gadget did as he was told and Nathan grabbed a magnifying glass to check the interface chips, which were right in front of Gadget's heart.  
Nathan checked all three of the chips and finally sighed, then he put the magnifying glass on a nearby table and said:  
- Just what I was afraid of, it seems that the scanners that reviewed you all this time overlooked the fact of checking your interface chips, which means that your glitches have been getting worse because one of your chips is burnt, that is causing a short circuit, which produces an error on the selection systems everytime you try to use any of your gadgets.  
- And that means? - Gadget asked.  
- That your burnt chip makes your systems malfunction, and so when you try to use, let's say the Gadget-Laser, the order you give is confused, that's why you activated the Gadget-Cannon instead.  
- Great, just great. - Gadget huffed. - Now what am I supposed to do?!  
- It's ok, Gadget...  
- No, it's not ok!  
- Gadget, calm down, I know it's frustrating but I'm already working on something that will get rid of your glitches for good.  
Nathan chuckled a bit, then he walked to his computers, typed some commands on it and turned the monitor to show Gadget some sort of anagram.  
- This is the solution to your problems. - Nathan said with a grin.  
- What's that? - Gadget asked.  
- Let's just say that it's the new generation of the Neural Network Impulsor.  
- Really?  
- Yes, it's at least ten times better than the Gadget Chip, also I have to say that this chip was my father's last design, I modified it a bit and improved it.  
- Well then, what will I do while you build that thing?  
- Easy, just wait a bit more, Brenda and I already built the NEP, we just have to find a way to install it correctly on your body.  
- So, how much time do you think I have to wait?  
- Just a few more days, Brenda and I have been working on the way to install it on you. The interface will be ready in some days.  
- Good, Trenton's constant rants are driving me crazy.  
- He's just jealous of you.  
- He says otherwise.  
- Whatever, you can leave if you want, Gadget, we're done here.  
- Great, see you tomorrow, Nathan.  
Gadget screwed the skin panels of his chest again, then he put on his shirt, tie and coat and left Nathan's office, while he went back to his thoughts.  
Five minutes later, Gadget had his hand on his chin again and he was entering into the Gadget-Mobile, who sighed heavily when he saw the cyborg's attitude.  
- G, could you please stop thinking on bad things? - Gadget-Mobile asked.  
- I can't do that, somehow my mind won't stop thinking on that. - Gadget replied.  
- Have it your way, G, but don't let Penny know about it, she's way too worried about your glitches to have more concerns.  
- Gadget-Mobile, I'm well aware that Penny is already too concerned with my problems, I wouldn't like to know that she gets more worried about me, she'll only know it if there's no other choice.  
- Good, let's go home right now.  
Gadget-Mobile turned on its engine, then he drove off to Gadget's home.  
After other fifteen minutes, Gadget and the Gadget-Mobile had finally arrived home. Gadget-Mobile turned off the engine and went to sleep. Then Gadget sighed and got out of his car. Gadget entered to his house, he took off his hat and coat, and hung them in the rack that was next to the door.  
- Penny, Brenda, I'm home. - Gadget said.  
A blond girl dashed from upstairs and hugged the cyborg tightly.  
- Glad you're back, Uncle Gadget. - The blond girl said.  
- Me too, Penny, how was school? Where's Brenda? - Gadget asked.  
- Well, school was fine, and about Brenda, she's not at home, she said that she needed to stay a bit longer on the old labs to check some things.  
- Drat, well, at least you're here. - Gadget said while he checked his watch. - Why are you still awake? You have school tomorrow.  
- Um, Uncle Gadget, tomorrow's Saturday.  
- Oh right! Forgive your old uncle, sometimes I just forget everything not related to my job.  
- And how was your day?  
- Well, there were a bunch of criminals who thought that they were a match for me, now they'll be sleeping behind the bars for quite some time.  
- Really? That's great, your glitches are finally gone!  
Then Penny proceeded to hug her uncle, but this time, Gadget didn't hug her back. Penny raised her head and saw that her uncle was looking at the ground. Then then girl let go of her uncle.  
- They aren't gone, are they? - Penny asked.  
- (Sigh) No, but don't worry, Nathan has the solution for them.  
- That's what you've been saying all this time, Uncle Gadget, what are you not telling me?  
- Penny, please, stop worrying for me, I'll be fine.  
- Uncle Gadget...  
- No, this is not your problem, Penny, just don't worry about me, ok?  
Penny looked down to the ground and she mumbled.  
- Yes, Uncle Gadget.  
- Don't be like that, Penny, it's just that I don't want to see you worried. - Gadget said with a warm smile while he put a hand on his niece's shoulder.  
- I can't do that, Uncle Gadget. You're my only family. - Penny said with a sad look.  
- Everything's gonna be ok, Penny.  
Gadget knelt down and hugged his niece tightly and the girl responded the gesture.  
The cyborg knew that he was lying, he had a feeling that things weren't going to be ok, but get even worse. He just couldn't shake that feeling but he also couldn't let Penny worry about something that could be just an overreaction.  
Gadget let go of his niece and forced his trademark smile, the he ruffled Penny's hair and heard some barks. Gadget smiled for real and petted the beagle that had just gotten into the house after accompanying Gadget in the night. Penny knelt down too and scratched Brain behind his ears.  
- Hi Brain! Did you have a good time? - Penny said while she petted her dog.  
The beagle gave her a tired glance, and though Brain couldn't speak, Penny understood the dog completely.  
- I see, go get some rest, Brain, you've definitely earned it for watching Uncle Gadget for me. - Penny said to the dog.  
Brain barked happily and licked Penny in the face, making the girl giggle a bit. Then Gadget stood up and went to the kitchen.  
- I'm gonna make dinner, why don't you take a shower while I get dinner ready, Penny? - Gadget said before he entered into the kitchen.  
- Ok, Uncle Gadget! - Penny replied. - C'mon Brain!  
Penny and Brain dashed upstairs and then Gadget stepped into the kitchen.  
Once he was in the kitchen, Gadget sighed heavily again, he still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.  
And unfortunately, our dear cyborg was right.

* * *

_(Meanwhile, on Riverton Prison)_

* * *

A prison guard was whistling while he made his rounds on the maximum security cells of the Riverton Prison. Then he stopped in front of the cell with the highest security in the prison. Said cell contained the most dangerous criminal of Riverton, the once-successful businessman formerly known as Doctor Victor Scolex.  
The guard glanced at the criminal now known as Doctor Claw, he saw him watching him from the shadows as usual. In the moment the guard met Claw's eyes, he remembered that most of the guards shared a secret, none of them had ever seen him move from his chair in the shadows since he was sentenced. They all had seen him reading an old newspaper every day, only hearing him whisper "I'll get you next time, Gadget."  
Some of them thought it was nothing and just grew accustomed to hear him, the rest always felt uneasy if they caught him saying that. The guard and Claw stared at each other for some time, then the guard left and Claw stood up from his chair.  
- It is time. - Claw whispered with a sinister grin.  
Then the evil man walked to the bed and pulled out his beloved pincer, he eyed the object as if it were a valuable treasure, and then he put it on his robotic arm.  
- Kramer, Sikes, it is time to escape. - Claw said through an earpiece.  
Far from Claw's cell, two men, one scrawny and pathetic-looking with a brilliant mind, and the other big and strong but with a very low IQ, stood up and nodded, then they removed a carpet that covered a hole in the ground, which was big enough to allow Kramer and Sikes to escape with any difficulties. Kramer and Sikes smirked and then they jumped into the hole, making sure of covering it with the carpet again.  
Back with Claw, the evil mastermind pulled out the newspaper that he had been reading for the last year, the one that announced the engagement of Doctor Brenda Bradford and Inspector Gadget. He took a glance of it and then he chuckled evilly.  
Claw dropped the newspaper on the ground, making sure that the front page was clearly visible. Then he removed the carpet that covered the hole in his cell.  
Claw jumped to the hole and started walking, not caring in the least that he hadn't covered his route of escape. It was all part of the plan he had schemed during his time in the Riverton Prison. He knew it'd be long before the guards noticed his absence. And even if they did manage to find out about his escape earlier, no one could stop him, not even his dreadfully hated rival, Inspector Gadget.  
Or so he thought.  
After walking for three minutes, he knew that he had already escaped from the prison, however, there was no signs of light, and he had bumped into another man.  
- What the hell are you two still doing here?! - Claw asked with a hoarse voice.  
- It seems that Sikes forgot to finish the escape tunnel, boss. - Kramer informed.  
- You didn't tell me that I needed to do that! - Sikes said.  
- I thought it was obvious!  
- SILENCE! - Claw roared. - As usual, I'll have to take care of this.  
Claw pushed Sikes and Kramer out of his way, then he smirked and dug his robotic arm on the ground above his head.  
Nobody knew why, but now it was raining on Riverton. The climate had suddenly changed from a fresh summer night to a ferocious thunderstorm. And outside of the Riverton Prison, a metallic pincer erupted suddenly from the ground. The pincer made some snapping sounds and an evil laugh was heard.  
After one year of captivity, Doctor Claw was free once again.  
Again inside the prison, the guard had felt that something was afoot, and as such he had returned quickly to check Claw's cell. And he almost had a heart attack when he saw that Claw's cell was empty, except for the old newspaper that Claw read everyday.  
The guard immediately went to check Kramer and Sikes' cell, which was also empty.  
The guard grabbed his walkie-talkie and turned it on, then he yelled:  
- Attention guards! Emergency code Charlie-190! Claw has escaped! Repeat, Claw has escaped!  
The alarms went off two seconds after the guard gave the alarm, and outside the prison, Claw was chuckling out loud as he made his way to his car.

* * *

_(Minutes later)_

* * *

Gadget was cooking dinner for him, his wife and his niece. And though Brenda wasn't there, he knew that when she got home, he could surprise her.  
He still had the feeling that something bad was about to happen, but he discovered that when he focused to do other stuff, he could forget about that feeling for some time.  
And right when he had finished, he saw an important news announcement on the tv.  
- ... This is an important news announcement for the city of Riverton. We've just been informed that tonight, around 10:15 pm, the evil villain known as Doctor Claw has escaped, along with other two inmates from the Riverton Prison. The official reports are unclear but there are a few rumors that say that the three inmates escaped through a tunnel that they kept hidden using carpets. The police department asks the citizens to stay calmed and to stay away from a man with a vicious look and a metallic claw, as he's been labeled as extremely dangerous. In other news, there's an investigation underway to discover who was the dimwit that allowed Claw and his minions to have carpets in their cells... - Said the anchorman.  
- Wowsers! I knew it! - Gadget said with a frown. - Sometimes I hate being right.  
Gadget turned off the stove, the he took off his apron and dashed to the rack to grab his coat and his hat. Gadget put on his two items, and before he could exit his house, he heard someone dashing downstairs. The cyborg turned and saw Penny with a backpack over her shoulder.  
- Where are you going? - Gadget asked.  
- Let me go with you, please, Uncle Gadget! - Penny begged with big puppy eyes. - You need my help to catch Claw!  
- This is the last time I let the tv with the volume so high. - Gadget mumbled to himself. - Listen, Penny, this is what I was afraid that would happen, so for now you'll be under constant vigilance and away from my case, you're one of the persons that matter me the most and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you.  
- But Uncle Gadget...!  
- No buts, Penny, this is way too dangerous so you'll stay here and my word is final.  
Gadget kissed his niece's head and then he opened the door.  
- I'll see you in the morning. - Gadget said while he got out of his house.  
Penny watched with tears in her eyes as the door closed, the blond girl threw her backpack and ran upstairs to her bedroom, slamming the door when she entered. Then she cried in her pillow until she fell asleep.

* * *

___(Moments later)_

* * *

The entire police department and all the press of Riverton had arrived at the Riverton Prison, the police had cordoned off the site and were impeding the reporters to get anymore news about Claw's escape.  
The cops were still pushing the reporters when Inspector Gadget arrived in the Gadget-Mobile. Almost immediately, like a moth to a light, the reporters went directly with Gadget, so to evade them, Gadget had to activate his GELs.  
- Go go Gadget-Rollerblades. - Gadget said.  
And just like it had happened some time ago, the order was confused and the Gadget-Extendo-Legs were activated, much to Gadget's relief.  
The cyborg just gave a few paces and passed the cordon around the site were Claw escaped. Then Gadget walked over to Chief Quimby.  
- Chief, what's the situation? - Gadget asked.  
- Gadget, good lord that you're here. - Quimby said with a cigar in his mouth. - You should know better than anyone, Gadget, you're the expert when it comes to Claw.  
- I wouldn't call expertise just following the right clues, Chief.  
- Anyway, what could you tell us about the escape, Gadget.  
The cyborg glanced at his surroundings and noticed a big hole in the ground.  
- Well, it seems that he escaped through here. - Gadget said while he pointed at the hole.  
- You don't say. - Quimby said sarcastically.  
- Well, until now that's all I got, did anyone find anything helpful in his cell?  
- We found this next to the hole he dug in it.  
Quimby handed Gadget the old newspaper. Gadget eyes it and noticed that the paper was the same that announced his engagement with Brenda, then he saw that the photo of them in the front page was circled with a red mark that looked like dry blood. Gadget felt a shiver up his spine when he saw it, he knew that whatever that meant, it would be bad for everyone else, especially him and Brenda, but he knew that this would be the least of his worries with Claw out of jail and on the run.  
- You think he still hold a grudge on me for sending him to prison? - Gadget asked to Quimby.  
- Gadget, listen, stop the nonsense talking, the whole city is on the verge of anarchy now that Claw's free, you gotta capture him and soon before this gets out of hand! - Quimby said.  
- Oh, I wouldn't worry about the anarchy out there, Chief. - Said a cold and hoarse voice.  
Everyone in the area had heard the voice, so they all started searching for the owner, and they found him, right on top of the Riverton Prison. All the people present gasped when they noticed that the owner of the voice was no one else that the Infamous Doctor Claw.  
- Go go Gadget-Taser! - Gadget said through his gritted teeth.  
Unfortunately, the glitches were still going on Gadget's organism, so instead of the Gadget-Taser, the Gadget-Analizer popped out from his hat, which made the cyborg sigh heavily.  
- I hate being last year's model. - Gadget muttered while he put the Gadget-Analizer back in his head.  
- I wouldn't even bother trying to catch me, the real me is far away from here. - Claw said.  
- What do you mean by that, Claw?! - Gadget demanded.  
- It's simple, Gadget, this is merely a hologram, just made to mock in your face.  
- You won't get away with whatever you've planned this time! I've caught you once, and I certainly can do it again!  
- Last time you got lucky, Gadget! You didn't really defeat me!  
- Tell that to your super-suit and your Robo-Gadget... Oh wait, you can't, because I destroyed them both!  
- Enough! You won't be so lucky this time, Gadget! I will strike three times, and if you don't stop me before the third, everything for your dear city and the world will be doomed. It's time for my revenge now! I'll get you this time, Gadget! Hahahahahaha!  
The hologram disappeared and Gadget yelled:  
- YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS! I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, CLAW! NEXT TIME!  
Everyone around seemed really bewildered by Gadget's sudden outburst, and more so because the cyborg had just used his archnemesis' catchphrase. Meanwhile, Gadget was breathing heavily, he was angry and frustrated. Everytime he confronted Claw, the evil mastermind seemed to be three steps ahead of him. But he didn't know that all his rage and frustration were going to disappear in just a few seconds.  
Everyone was talking amongst themselves about what they had seen, and all of a sudden, the chatter was abruptly interrupted by a loud explosion, which apparently occurred on the west side of the city. They all watched as a black smoke cloud rose to the sky, signaling which place had exploded and making Gadget's heart skip a beat.  
"Oh no! Brenda!" Gadget thought in complete despair.  
The cyborg dashed to the Gadget-Mobile, not caring in the least if he had to push anyone out of his way, then he ignited the motor and sped off, praying to be wrong on what he was thinking.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.- Claw's revenge.**

* * *

He was free.  
After spending a year in Riverton Prison, Doctor Victor Isaac Scolex, now known as Doctor Claw, was free to put his most evil scheme in track.  
Right now, Claw, Sikes, Kramer and a woman with tanned skin, dark brown hair and brown eyes were inside an old-fashioned black car with shiny red trimmings, which also had a very curious emblem on the doors. The emblem was some sort of black cat with yellow eyes put over a red oval.  
- Drive faster, Rivera! - Claw hissed with his hoarse voice.  
- As you order, Doctor Claw! - The female driver replied.  
Claw eyed his mechanic arm. After he was put in prison, the guards had removed his arm and they locked it in the warden's office, where he exhibit it as some sort of trophy.  
He was glad that the prison guards were stupid enough to let it in the prison, instead of giving it to his sworn enemy.  
He couldn't care less about it anyway, it made his whole plan so much easier.  
- So, Doctor Claw, what's the plan now, boss? - Sikes asked.  
- First off, we need to collect three different items from Stark Industries, the Bradford Cybertronics Laboratories and the Riverton Town Hall. - Claw replied without looking at Sikes.  
- What?! We're going to be dealing with not only Gadget and the RPD but also Iron Man?! - Kramer let out.  
- Stark will not be a problem, he is too busy for now. - Claw said. - Besides, once I complete my new super weapon, not even him nor the Avengers will be able to stop me!  
- What exactly are we looking for, boss? - Rivera asked.  
- We need palladium fusion cells, the world's biggest ruby, and a special object that will complete my super weapon, the NEP.  
- What?  
- Forget it, just get ready, when will we arrive to the Bradford Labs?  
- In a few minutes, we'll be there soon.  
Claw smirked.  
Just a few minutes separated him from his vengeance and having the first item in his list.

* * *

_(Minutes later)_

* * *

The black car with red trimmings, or as Claw had began to call it, the Claw-Mobile, had pulled off in front of the old Bradford Research Labs.  
Claw knew that the Bradford siblings had opened a new center on the west of Riverton, but the thing he was after was being constructed in the old center, the notice that they were building the NEP on the new facilities was just a bluff.  
Claw, Sikes, Kramer and Rivera got out of the car, then they started working towards the entrance of the old facilities. The guard tried to set off the alarm, but Rivera pulled out a gun with a silencer and shot him in the head.  
- Nice shot, darling. - Claw said.  
- My pleasure, boss. - Rivera replied with a delighted grin.  
The four criminals kept walking, then Kramer spoke:  
- Um, doctor Claw, boss, where did you find her?  
- From the same place that I found our the members of the new organization I have formed. - Claw said nonchalantly.  
- But, isn't she a bit... crazy?  
Rivera seemed to have heard Kramer, so she rapidly turned and put her gun on Kramer's forehead, with her index twitching threateningly on the trigger.  
- Do you have any problem with that, Kramer? - Rivera asked with a grin.  
- Now, now, ma chérie, there's no need to kill him, I still need his abilities, Rivera. - Claw said while he kept walking.  
- You're really lucky, Kramer.  
Rivera put her gun in the holster on her waist, making Kramer sigh in relief, but his relief was short-lived as Rivera punched him in the face, breaking his nose.  
- What the hell was that for? - Kramer demanded while he held his bleeding nose.  
- Never again call me crazy, Claw told me not to kill you, but he didn't say anything about breaking your nose. - Rivera said with a nonchalant smile.  
- (Chuckle) I knew that adding you to MAD was a great idea. - Claw said under his breath.  
Finally, the criminals were in front of the door of the Bradford Research Labs, Claw smirked deviously and then he said:  
- Sikes, open the door.  
Sikes smirked, he cracked his knuckles and broke down the door with one kick.  
Meanwhile, doctor Brenda Gadget, formerly Bradford, was typing in her computer, her eyes were tired, her body felt numb and heavy, and it was merely working completely out of instinct. Since the creation of the new lab facilities, the Bradford siblings had taken turns watching over the old facilities while they moved all their projects and equipment to the new center. However, sometimes like that precise night, Nathan was late to take his shift.  
- Gosh, just how much time do I have to stay here?! - Brenda shouted. - I'm so gonna kill Nathan for this, he should've been here an hour ago!  
Brenda rubbed her aching neck and sighed, she should've known better than to trust her brother when he said that he'd be there in time. Nathan Bradford was brilliant, brave and bold, but if there was something the scientist really lacked was punctuality.  
And if there was anything Brenda hated was lack of punctuality.  
- God, why is it always me?! - Brenda cursed.  
And right in that second, Brenda heard a loud noise, like if someone broke down a door. Her heartbeats skipped a beat when she heard the noise, she knew that something was not right but she had to stay calmed.  
Brenda stood up from her chair and walked up to the nearest exit, she felt that she had to get out of there, fast. She didn't know why, but she felt that that was the right thing to do.  
Unfortunately, her actions were expected.  
Once Brenda had tried to make a run for the backdoor, she was held back by pair of really strong arms, then she heard a bloodcurling laugh. She was forced to turn and then her eyes went wide open as she let out a gasp.  
She just couldn't believe what she was seeing.  
- Good night, Ms Bradford, or should I call you Mrs Gadget now? - Asked a very well known criminal with his hoarse voice.  
- It can't be! You're supposed to be in jail! - Brenda said as she struggled to break free from the arms that held her.  
- Indeed I should be, but since I still have a pending matter with you and your dear family, I've come back to solve it.  
Claw gestured at Sikes to let Brenda go, then he walked a few paces nearer to her.  
- Now, Mrs Gadget, where is the NEP? - Claw asked.  
Brenda gritted her teeth and gulped hard, she knew that if she somehow got out of that situation, she'd kill Nathan for telling the press about the NEP.  
- I don't know what you're talking about. - Brenda lied.  
- Don't lie to me, Brenda! It was all over the news! I need it to solve the little matter I left pending with Gadget.  
Brenda cursed inwardly, she was afraid but stood her ground against Claw.  
- There's nothing to solve, Claw! Gadget defeated you and that's all! No matter what you do, you will never win!  
Then a woman's hand slapped Brenda hard in the cheek, making her bleed from her lower lip.  
- Don't you dare to speak to Doctor Claw in that way ever again! - Rivera warned Brenda.  
Brenda spitted some blood and glared at the tan skinned woman that had slapped her.  
- Is that all you got?! - Brenda asked with a smirk.  
Rivera was about to punch her, but Claw's pincer stopped her arm.  
- Don't let her get the best of you, darling, she's trying to kill time for her dimwit of a husband to come rescue her. - Claw said while he let go of Rivera's arm.  
- I am so sorry, boss, it won't happen again, I swear it. - Rivera said while she looked at the ground.  
- I see, you finally got yourself a girlfriend, Claw, I just hope she opens her eyes and sees that she's nothing but your new bitch before it's too late. - Brenda said with a smirk.  
Claw growled and put his pincer around Brenda's neck, then Claw started to choke her. Claw lifted the woman rather easily, and the latter was struggling to break free from Claw's grip, but just like the last time she had tried it, it was pointless.  
- Listen, Mrs Gadget, we can do this the soft way or the hard way, on the first I'll get what I want and you won't be harmed anymore, the other is you die and I still take what I want, which one do you choose? - Claw asked threateningly.  
- Fuck you... Claw... - Brenda managed to gasp.  
- Very well then, have it your way.  
Claw threw Brenda away, and the latter fell onto a table that had various matrasses, test tubes and other stuff. The table and all the recipients above it broke; the contents of the matrasses and the test tubes got mixed and created a toxic gas. Unfortunately for Gadget's wife, the recent choking by Claw made her gasp desperately for air, and thus she breathed in the toxic gas. Once the gas entered in her body, she felt how it was burning her from the inside.  
Claw saw what was happening to Brenda, so he gestured Rivera and Sikes to look for gas masks. Few moments later, Rivera found three above a shelf. Rivera took them, she gave one to Sikes and the other to Claw, then they put them on. Meanwhile Brenda was holding her burning throat as Claw walked over to her.  
- Where is the NEP, doctor Gadget? - Claw asked.  
- Away... from... your reach... - Brenda said between gasps. - You'll never... get it...  
Brenda couldn't see it, but Claw was smirking, then he grabbed Brenda's diary from one of the boxes of her desk and said:  
- We will see about that.  
Then Claw and his minions ran out of the facilities, leaving Brenda on the ground, who was now coughing and crawling to get away from the nocive gases. Brenda coughed blood now, she tried to move as fast as she could, but her efforts were almost futile. Then, the female doctor fell to the ground with tears in her eyes, she couldn't move anymore, she was too injured to do it. Deep inside, her heart ached much more than her lungs or her throat, Brenda closed her eyes and just accepted her fate, and with her last breath while she was conscious, she managed to say:  
- I'm sorry, Gadget...  
Few moments later, Claw and his lackeys were boarding the Claw-Mobile, then the evil mastermind pulled out some sort of detonator.  
- Au revoir, Mrs Gadget. - Claw whispered.  
Claw pressed the button in the detonator, and then the old Bradford Research Labs exploded, creating a powerful boom that was heard in the whole city of Riverton.  
- Get us outta here, take us to the hideout! Quickly! - Claw said to Rivera.  
- I'm on it, boss! - Rivera replied while she ignited the engine of the car.  
The black car with red trimmings sped off and left the scene of crime, and as they heard a well known siren, Claw couldn't help but chuckle evilly  
- I told you I'd get you next time, Gadget, and so I did. - Claw whispered to himself.

* * *

_(Seconds later)_

* * *

A black car with silver trimmings almost crashed with a wall if it hadn't stopped right in time.  
Not that it would've mattered, the car was too resilient to be damaged by something as common as a mere crash.  
However, that wasn't important.  
Gadget couldn't have cared less if he had crashed anyway.  
The cyborg watched with tears in his eyes as the fire consumed what used to be the Bradford Research Labs. Gadget fell to his knees, feeling impotent to do anything.  
He couldn't stop blaming himself, he felt that this was all his fault.  
Right in that second, a taxi dropped off a passenger beside the Gadget-Mobile, then while the taxi drove off, the passenger, (who happened to be none other than Nathan Bradford), ran next to Gadget, and couldn't help but shed a tear and kneel to punch the ground, breaking his hand in the process. He didn't care anyway, he didn't feel it.  
Nathan and Gadget just cried silently while they watched the fire going on, listening to the sirens of both police cars and firemen trucks, and feeling the cold rain dampening them to the core.  
But unlike to what they were thinking, Gadget-Mobile had found a small hope.  
- Um, G...? - Gadget-Mobile tried to say.  
- Shut it! - Gadget hissed.  
- But G, I'm still catching up a signal from a living being in the inside of the BRLs.  
Gadget and Nathan seemed to recover their hopes, the two of them glanced at the Gadget-Mobile and Nathan said:  
- Ar-are you serious?  
- Completely, but there's something you two need to know before you do something stupid like rushing into the building before listening to what I have to say. - Gadget-Mobile said.  
Too late, Gadget had already made a dash for the burning building, not hearing that the Gadget-Mobile had called out his name.  
- G, no! Wait! - Gadget-Mobile said.  
- Why are you trying to stop him, Gadget-Mobile? You know very well that the fire won't harm him at all. - Nathan said.  
- No, but his lungs are still organic, as well as many of his organs, and I've detected a very poisonous gas in the inside.  
- No!  
- I'm afraid that the odds that Inspector G and/or doctor B's chances of getting out of there alive are practically null.  
Nathan felt a sudden rush of adrenaline, he tried to make a dash to get Gadget, but a robotic arm popped out from the Gadget-Mobile and stopped him.  
- Doctor N, come to your senses! I told you that their chances were practically null, not that they didn't have a chance. - Gadget-Mobile said. - Besides, if there's one man that can save doctor B is Gadget.  
Nathan gritted his teeth, losing his sister was bad enough already, but losing her and his best friend on the same night would be unbearable.  
Meanwhile, Gadget had broken down a wall to enter into the burning labs, as he didn't have any time to lose.  
And even if the smoke was too thick to let him see, Gadget had managed to activate his Gadget-Analyzer, and he had set it to look for lifeforms. However, there was something that Gadget couldn't explain, and it was the sudden itching in his throat. He knew that during the accident on the outskirts of Riverton, his breathing system had taken quite a toll, and as such it was healed using the Gadget Project. Since then, his lungs were capable of separate the carbon dioxide from the oxygen, and he had never felt anything wrong ever again, not even when he had caught a cold. Until that day, in which he was feeling how the itching in his throat was rapidly becoming a burning sensation.  
He didn't know why exactly, but he knew that he had to find Brenda and get outta there ASAP.  
- Go go Gadget-Spy-Cam! - Gadget said.  
And just like Gadget had thought it would work, the glitches activated the Gadget-Gas-Mask instead of the Gadget-Spy-Cam. Gadget coughed a bit, then he kept searching for Brenda, breaking everything that stood in his path.  
Few moments later after Gadget had broken down another wall, the Gadget-Analyzer had picked up a life signal. Gadget ran to the place where the GA was indicating him that the lifeform was. But what he found was that said life signal was completely covered by rubble. Gadget started removing the rubble frantically, and then he gasped when he found a bloody hand among the pile he was removing. Gadget soon realized that the hand belonged to his wife.  
Gadget removed all the rubble that was over his wife, and once he had freed her, he took off his Gadget-Gas-Mask and put it to Brenda, then he took her motionless body in his arms and made a dash for the exit, coughing with some blood while he did so.  
Meanwhile, Brenda Gadget felt that something was carrying her, and something even more curious was that the burning feeling on her lungs had diminished greatly, also she felt that something was covering her face. With all the strength she had left, Brenda opened her eyes and saw her husband's face. It was covered in soot and ashes, but she could still see the trickle of blood coming from Gadget's mouth. She would've freaked out, but her lack of strength didn't let her.  
- Leave me... Save yourself... - Brenda whispered.  
Brenda's whisper would've passed inadvertently to a normal human, but Gadget had an enhanced hearing sense, so he heard her perfectly. Though he didn't like in the slightest what he was hearing.  
- No way! Either we make it out of here together, or we die together! - Gadget said.  
- I... I'm sorry, John... I don't have the strength...  
- Don't you dare to die! You can overcome this! I just know it!  
- Don't... Don't ever forget... that I love... you...  
And with that, Brenda lost her consciousness on Gadget's arms, right when the latter had exited the burning facilities.  
Nathan and the Gadget-Mobile sighed in relief, as they saw that the paramedics had arrived, and that Gadget had finally gotten out of the building, right before it all came down.  
The cyborg ran to the nearest ambulance, he ripped one of the backdoors and hopped in, then he placed Brenda on the stretcher. When the paramedics inside were going to ask him what had he done, Gadget just glanced at the driver with a very unfriendly look on his face.  
- Drive! - Gadget hissed.  
The driver gulped hard but he ignited the engine of the ambulance and drove off.  
Back in the scene of crime, Quimby had arrived, and once he saw that Gadget wasn't there, he went to Nathan to try to ask him a questions. However, the scientist had other things in mind right in that moment.  
Nathan hopped inside the Gadget-Mobile and the car ignited its engine to follow the ambulance in which Gadget and Brenda were.  
- Hey, Bradford! Wait up, we've got some questions you must answer! - Said Quimby.  
- I'm sorry, Chief, I have no time! - Nathan replied while he buckled up himself.  
And right after that, the Gadget-Mobile sped off, tracking Gadget's signal.

* * *

_(Half an hour later)_

* * *

Gadget was still coughing blood.  
He denied to be attended until his wife was out of danger, and as such once the medics had taken her into the emergency room, he had sat down on the waiting room.  
Since he had sat down he had just coughed and glanced at the ground.  
Nathan had arrived merely thirty seconds behind the ambulance, and he had accompanied his brother-in-law silently.  
He was worried sick about his sister and Gadget, the mere thought of losing Brenda made him shiver in fear.  
Finally after waiting for thirty long minutes, a doctor came out of the emergency room.  
The doctor took off her mask and both cyborg and scientist stood up quickly, but even if they wanted to ask how Brenda was, the words just got choked on the lump in their throats.  
- Are you family of the girl? - The doctor asked.  
- Y-Yes... - Gadget said. - How...?  
Gadget just couldn't finish the question, he was already too concerned.  
The doctor just looked at both of them in the eyes, she sighed, glanced at the ground and closed her eyes while she shook her head from left to right.  
- She couldn't make it. I'm really sorry. - The doctor said.  
Nathan fell backwards with a look of despair while Gadget fell to his knees with tears in his eyes.  
The doctor held back her own tears, now she knew first hand how horrible was to give someone the news of a relative's death. During her three years as a medic, she had seen patients die, but she had never been the one to give the news to anyone. The woman sighed, then she turned and left the room while Gadget and Nathan felt that they had entered into a world of complete desolation and despair.  
Nathan started crying uncontrollably, he howled in pain and held his legs close to his chest.  
But Gadget, he was another story.  
His despair, his pain and his grief were being rapidly overcome by his rage, his desire for revenge and his hatred towards the only guilty of Brenda's death.  
His eyes burned with hatred, all the liquid components in his organism felt like they were boiling, the burning feeling in his throat and lungs had disappeared all of a sudden, his knuckles were white as he was clenching his fists as hard as he could and his teeth were at breaking point as he was gritting them too hard.  
Gadget roared with all the rage that had just built up, then he stood up and started running to the exit, breaking everything in his path once more. The cyborg broke down the main entrance doors and pushed Quimby and Trenton out of his way while he cried. Trenton was about to yell at Gadget what the hell was wrong with him, but he shut up immediately when he saw that Gadget had just cut a patrol car in half by smashing against it. Trenton was about to follow him but Quimby held him back.  
- Chief! We gotta stop Gadget! He's gone rampant! - Trenton said while he struggled to set himself free.  
- No, he's not rampant, he's just hurt. - Quimby said calmly.  
- Hurt?! He pushed us away, he just caused a mess in the hospital and cut a patrol in half!  
- It's only an assumption, but I guess that Brenda Gadget has died. We must keep everyone as far away from him as possible, I've never seen him this angry, and I think that if we don't find Claw before Gadget does, we will never find him, at least not alive.  
Trenton stopped struggling, though he hated Gadget, he would've never wished him something like this. And even if he hated Claw too, he definitely pitied him if Gadget ever got his hands on him.  
Back inside the waiting room, Nathan was still crying and howling in grief.  
He couldn't believe that his little sister, the one that always helped him play pranks on bullies, the girl she always helped him with his Calculus homework, the girl she was always so overprotective when she was younger, the girl who had helped in the design of the Gadget Project, was dead.  
She was always so cheerful, so positive, she always found the good side of the people, hell, he was sure that even if she put her efforts in it, she would've seen a good side on Claw.  
Then an memory struck Nathan's mind.  
All the memories about the Gadget Project remembered him of a little conversation he had had with his sister just a few days prior to that day.

* * *

_(Three days ago)_

* * *

- Nathan, could you do me a favor? - Brenda asked while she checked some thing in her computer.  
- I'm kinda busy right now. - Nathan said while he was finishing some kind of chip.  
- Nathan, please?  
- Damn it, could you stop using that tone?  
- Only if you do me the favor I was asking you.  
- Fine, what is it?  
Nathan put his soldering iron aside and took off his goggles, then he met glances with his sister.  
- Well, could you please use the Gadget Project in me if I ever die or have an accident that could kill me? - Brenda said bluntly.  
- What?! Why are you saying such a crazy thing?! - Nathan said completely alarmed.  
- My husband feels alone, he thinks that he's not a man, and I keep telling him otherwise. But my words are empty because I don't know what being a cyborg feels like, if only I could feel what he feels, maybe I'd be able to tell him a true advice.  
- Brenda, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!  
- Please, Nathan, I wanna comprehend what Gadget feels.  
- That isn't the only reason, is it?  
- Nathan, please, I beg you. Just do it. I know Gadget and I've seen his darkest side, if he ever loses me, he's gonna kill the guilty in the worst possible way you could think of.  
- Gadget would never kill anyone, I mean, he didn't kill Claw, even with all the bad things he did to him.  
- You didn't see him when Claw threatened me and Penny, I thought he was about to kill him. He restrained himself only because he didn't kill Penny or me.  
- How can you say such a horrible thing about Gadget?  
- Nathan, the people with the biggest hearts are the easier to corrupt.  
- Who ever said that?  
- I just did, and it's true. Gadget is a great man, but if someone unleashes his whole rage, he will not be able to restrain himself and will kill the one that is stupid enough to make him angry.  
- But, Brenda...  
- No, no buts, you gotta do it. I don't want to see Gadget turned into a homicide nor be depressed because no one understands him. Promise me you'll do it!  
- Ok, ok, I, Nathan Julian Bradford, promise that if you, Brenda Geraldine Bradford, suffer an accident that could kill you, or if you die, I'll use the Gadget Project on you to turn you into a cyborg.  
- Great, but why in the world are you using our second names?  
- To make my promise official, but we'd need another NEP.  
- You'll find a solution to that, you always do.  
Nathan sighed and went back to his chip, he was rolling his eyes in disbelief at what he had just discussed with his sister, completely unaware of what would happen three days later.

* * *

_(Present time)_

* * *

Nathan wiped his tears and pulled out a blue square with a shiny circle in it from his pocket, he glanced at it with his hopes resurging. The scientist stood up rather quickly and pulled out his cell phone. He marked a number and waited.  
- Stephen... Yes, I do realize it's late but this is important... No, I don't care about your jerky! Just come here and bring the team... Exactly, we've finally got a candidate for the Generation 2. I'll meet you at the labs in fifteen minutes, bye. - Nathan said.  
Nathan hung up and eyed the object in his hand again. The blue square in his hand was the key to fulfill the promise he had made to Brenda, and he was sure that Gadget wouldn't mind if he had to live with his glitches for a few more months if it meant having Brenda back.  
Nathan put the chip in his pocket again and then he ran inside the emergency room.

* * *

_(Meanwhile on the outskirts of Riverton)_

* * *

Inspector Gadget couldn't think straight.  
He was acting merely on instinct.  
A killer instinct.  
And he was going to the place in which everything began. The cliff in which Victor Scolex and John Brown lost their identities to leave place to the Infamous Doctor Claw and the Famous Inspector Gadget.  
Gadget was running while he hissed and cried, he needed to let out a lot of steam.  
With all the willpower he didn't know he possessed, he had managed to unleashed his wrath on things and not a single being, not even a plant.  
However, he still had too much rage inside him.  
Finally, after running for five minutes, Gadget saw it.  
The cliff that turned him into a hero. The cliff that turned Scolex into a monster.  
Scolex.  
The mere thought of his name was enough to build up his rage at the maximum.  
An impressive lightning was seen, followed by a monstrous thunder.  
In the moment in which the thunder was heard, Gadget roared with all his might, even producing some sparks around him.  
The cyborg jumped at the cliff while he kept crying and gritting his teeth. Once he was at the bottom of the cliff, Gadget saw the rock that had crushed Claw's arm. He could still see some blood stains on it, even if a year had passed since that moment.  
Without a single word, Gadget punched a hole in the rock, then he lifted it as if it weighed nothing and threw it several meters away while he roared once more.  
Gadget roared again and charged against the rock, ready to punch another hole into it.  
The cop smashed his fist on the rock again, and again, and again. He started smashing the rock until he had reduced it to powder, literally.  
The cyborg panted heavily, he inspected his hands and saw that the skin on the was completely torn, he saw blood running free on them, but he still felt nothing. Not even the cold rain that had drenched his clothes. Hell, he was sure that even if a lightning struck him, he would withstand it as if it was a mere spark.  
Then Gadget glanced at the rock that he had just destroyed, he gritted his teeth again and he pointed his right arm at the remains of the rock.  
- GO GO GADGET-LASER! - Gadget yelled.  
And just like he wanted it, his arm turned into his deadliest weapon, the Gadget-Cannon.  
Gadget glared at the remains and he started charging his cannon to a point in which it equaled Iron Man's uni-beam in power. Then he let out a battle yell and shot his cannon.  
The cannon shot a powerful green round which created a rather big crater, completely obliterating whatever was left of the rock in which Claw had lost his arm.  
Finally, Gadget saw his cannon, he returned his arm back to normal, then he fell to his knees and started crying bitterly.  
Another lightning was seen, and he yelled out loud just in time to accompany the sound of the thunder.  
The rain stopped till the morning came, and Gadget stayed in the bottom of the cliff the whole time.


End file.
